AAARGH, what a horrible morning...

[Fordeatinz71]

so i wake up this morning (well, didn't really sleep last night, so "wake up" probably isn't the correct term) to go to my new job.  i had to go to get my physical at an outside place and then report to work.  so i hop in the Sierra and take off, heading for the physical place...about 5 miles up the road i notice that it's not going into OD.  i tried shifting out of OD and back into it (which normally forces it to go into OD) and nothing happened.  then at a stoplight i notice that its shifting at REALLY high RPM/Speed. 

so i think, "low fluid", and pull into an Exxon station to check my fluid...perfectly full and not burnt at all.  so i head out to the physical place and go in to get my physical...turns out it's $59 and not the $45 i was told before...so i have to go back home and get $20 more from my wife...before firing up the "beast", i readjust the TV cable under the hood, thinking that for some odd reason, it might be out of adjustment.

i hop in and fire it up and what to my wondering eyes should appear?  NO REVERSE!  so i ended up looking like a real hick jumping over the curb just to get out of the parking lot.  so i stop up the road and check the fluid again...i was thinking that it might have been falsely reading high due to rubbing on the sides of the tube, so i tried adding a TINY amount (about a 1/4 pint) to see if it made a difference...and it did nothing. 

so i get home to get the van/$20 and talk to my wife about the tranny situation...we call her parents because her mom was suppose to be coming to watch the kids in the afternoon...now her mom wants to back out because "it's too far to drive", so now we're faced with finding a babysitter so my wife can keep her job...so i go to leave to get my physical and as i'm leaving my wife comes running out with the phone up to her ear...school called and my son has been hurt...WTH ELSE IS GONNA GO WRONG THIS MORNING?!?!?

so yea, it's been a pretty bad morning...at least my job was understanding and said just come in tomorrow...

cliff notes-when it rains it pours...daddy needs a built 700R4/4L80E/NV4500/NV5600...son needs to be dressed like the Michelin man when going to school...in-laws suck...

[Lt.Del]

What?  Your job won't pay for the physical, even though they requested it?  I'd take them to court.  My job required a pre employment physical  and they had to pay for it.

Not to make light of your situation, that is the definition of a bad day.  At least you weren't in an accident and no one got hurt, seriously.

[Fordeatinz71]

no, they do this as a way to weed-out the deadbeats.  you pay half and they pay half, providing you pass you get the money back on your first paycheck...but if you don't make it through the 90-day probationary period...they take it back...

so, question for all you guys who know trannys better than i do...what do ya think died in it?  sprag? 

now i guess i have 3 options when tax time comes around...

1. beef the crap out of the 700R4 (rebuild it)
2. swap in a 4L80E
3. swap in an NV4500 or NV5600...

i'm slowly turning this truck into a 1-ton, so getting rid of the 700R4 is probably my best bet...

[85MudMonster]

dang Dude, Sorry. As someone else wanting to change a 1/2 tone to a 1 ton, What exactly are the NV4500 and NV5600, what do they come in and how are they geared?

Turn your head and cough!

[Fordeatinz71]

here's some info on the NV4500...NV4500 information

the NV4500/5600 are manual transmissions found in HD Chevy/Dodge/Ford pickups (well, the NV5600 is only in the Dodge pickups), the NV4500 is a 5-speed and is solid as a rock and the NV5600 is a 6-speed version of the NV4500...the NV5600 is about impossible to get and i still don't know where i'd find an adapter plate to make it work...so most likely i'll be using an NV4500 for my swap...i'm kinda liking going manual...although it tends to be easier to 'wheel an auto...

edit-the GM units are found in the 93-up HD trucks...not sure if they'll mate up to an NP208 case, but i'm gonna find out...and eventually, i want to swap to an NP205 anyway

[85MudMonster]

Wow, i like the gearing on that thing!

[Fordeatinz71]

heck yea, wouldn't it rock to find a '93-'94 GM one?  heck, if i end up having the money and getting one new i'm gonna get one from these guys with the early GM gearset!

[Lt.Del]

Isn't the 4l80e an electronically controlled tranny?  Hence the "E"? And you have an 83 year truck?  no computer?

I believe that is what I have in my 91 burb.

[werewolfx13]

You can buy aftermarket independent TCUs for the 4l60e and 4l80e..but they're $400-$800.

[Captkaos]

The control units for the 4L80E is more like $1500 for the good ones.

[werewolfx13]

Ouch.

[VileZambonie]

If you want a 4L80E use the stock Suburban computer.

I just built another 700R4 4WD. I build them and then put them on the shelf I sell them so fast

[Captkaos]

isn't it integrated into the ECU, it only was availible on the 91 R/V series trucks.

[VileZambonie]

Yeah I have one at the school. It's a 91 Burb with a 5.7L TBI/ 4L80E 2wd. When they blow it up I 'll be yanking it out and stuffing it in my GMC 

[Lt.Del]

I take it that the 4L80E is a desireable tranny?  Isn't it similar to the 700r4, just an electronic version? 

I have 191,000 miles on mine and she still does fine. It is good to know that if ever i wreck the truck, i could get some $$$$ for the tranny and computer.